National Football League

Blakeman to referee 1st Super Bowl

Published Jan. 27, 2016 5:43 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK (AP) Eighth-year referee Clete Blakeman will work his first Super Bowl on Feb. 7 when the Carolina Panthers play the Denver Broncos at Santa Clara, California.

The NFL announced Wednesday that Blakeman will handle his sixth postseason game. He refereed Green Bay-Arizona in the divisional round, when he needed to redo the coin toss for overtime when the coin didn't flip.

Jeff Rice, the umpire from Blakeman's crew, also got a Super Bowl assignment, his third.

The other officials will be head linesman Wayne Mackie, line judge Rusty Baynes, field judge Boris Cheek, side judge Scott Edwards, and back judge Keith Ferguson.

Cheek and Ferguson also have worked one Super Bowl each. Mackie, Baynes and Edwards have not officiated a Super Bowl.

Charles Stewart will be the replay official, assisted by Jimmy Oldham.

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